Sport Events in the 1 English-Speaking World 1. Royal Ascot Glossary 1.A | SPEAKING – Have you heard about Royal Ascot? What do you think it is? Bred: homogenous group of animals within a species Ascot is a small town just outside London, famous for horse racing. Broadcast (to): Royal Ascot is Britain’s most important racecourse, attracting many of the world’s transmit (programs) best racehorses to compete for more than £6.5 million in prize money. from a radio or It was founded by Queen Anne in 1711 and is attended by members of the Royal Family, television station including the Queen herself, who usually comes to watch her own horse race. Royal Ascot Carriage: wheeled vehicle for carrying offers a daily horse-drawn procession from Windsor Castle to Ascot racecourse led by the persons, such as one royal carriage. Every year from 14th to 18th June, these five days are made for socializing: it is pulled by horses a spectacle of fashion and style known all over the world. Each year the meeting is broadcast Compete (to): take to audiences around the globe, but to experience it in person is something more special. part in a contest Comply with (to): be in accordance with wishes, 1.B | Answer the questions. requests, demands, a. Where is Ascot located? requirements, b. For how much do racehorses compete? conditions c. Who founded Royal Ascot? When? Racing: competition toseewhoisthe d. Does the Queen attend Royal Ascot? fastest e. When is Royal Ascot held? 11 1 Sport Events in the English-Speaking World https://www.ascot.co.uk Dress code: what to wear for Royal Ascot What you wear to Royal Ascot is as important as what you win at this famous race. This British social event is not only a show for some of the most purebred racehorses in the world, but also a fashion parade for spectators. A day out at Ascot is special, and dressing for the occasion is an important part of the race day experience. Royal Ascot requires a dress code for any type of ticket you purchase, and elegance rules are very strict. For men, it is easy. A smart suit and tie is the norm, but top hat and tails are required in the Royal Enclosure. For ladies it is more difficult: dresses, skirts and tops must comply with certain characteristics, women have to wear a hat, which must be beautiful, creative or simply unusual. Shorts are not allowed! Adapted from: http://www.fabfrocks.co.uk/ 1.C | Decide if the following statements are TRUE (T) or FALSE (F). a. At Royal Ascot you can wear whatever you want TF b. Royal Ascot is a show for some of the most purebred racehorses in the world TF c. If you buy a cheap ticket, you can wear shorts TF d. If you are not wearing a top hat, you cannot enter the Royal Enclosure TF e. It is imperative for women to wear a hat TF f. It is advisable to wear a plain hat TF 1.D | Correct the false statements. 12 1.E | IMPROVE YOUR VOCABULARY – Find above the words with the same meaning. a. horses with pedigree b. to buy c. severe d. custom e. bizarre 1.F | SPEAKING – Can you think of a famous horserace in your country? 1.G | INTERNET/WRITING/SPEAKING – Have you heard about the Palio horserace in Siena? Search the Internet and find out, then write a brief report and share it with the class. You must include the following points: Ï History Ï When it is held Ï What it celebrates Ï How is the contrada, which has been the longest without a victory, nicknamed Ï M. Rohana / Rohana M. Shutterstock.com Who won the last race Go deeper! Let’s talk about horse-riding! Riding a horse is fun. You can ride your horse at a walk, trot, canter or gallop. You can enter some dressage and show-jumping competitions, where you can display your horse-riding skills. To ride your horse well you must have a lot of skilled communication with the horse. 1.H | IMPROVE YOUR VOCABULARY – Match each word or expression to its Italian equivalent. a. at a walk 1. trotto b. canter 2. galoppo c. trot 3. al passo d. gallop 4. piccolo galoppo e. show-jumping 5. abilità f. skills 6. salto ostacoli a. b. c. d. e. f. 13 1 Sport Events in the English-Speaking World 2. Wimbledon Wimbledon istheoldesttennistournament Glossary in the world and is generally considered the most prestigious. It has been held at the All Recruit (to): seek or / Shutterstock.com Zhukovsky Leonard enlist (a person) for England Club in Wimbledon, London, since 1877. It some activity or task is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, Retract (to): draw the others being the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open. Wimbledon is the back or in Roof: the external only one still played on grass. upper covering of The tournament takes place over two weeks in late June and early July, concluding with the a house or other Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Singles Final, scheduled always for the second Saturday and Sunday building respectively. The tournament is also famous for the absence of sponsor advertising around Sponsor: person, firm, organisation the courts. In 2009, as bad weather often interrupts play, Wimbledon’s Centre Court was that provides money fitted with a retractable roof. for an event Wimbledon is not just a test of nerves and ability for the world’s top tennis players, but it is also a major logistical operation. About 6,000 people work to ensure the success of the event, including the 250 ball boys and girls recruited from schools across London, who will handle the 50,000 or so balls. Wimbledon is also the largest single annual sporting catering event in Europe. Nearly half a million visitors need feeding, and not just the strawberries with cream and glasses of Pimm’s that Wimbledon is famous for! Last year visitors consumed 28,000 kg of strawberries, 7,000 litres of cream, 200,000 glasses of Pimm’s, 300,000 cups of tea and coffee, 190,000 sandwiches and 100,000 pints of beer. Adapted from www.wimbledon.com 2.A | Answer the questions. a. What is Wimbledon? g. Cansponsorsadvertisearoundthe b. Where is Wimbledon? courts? c. How long has Wimbledon been held? h. Why was Wimbledon’s Centre Court d. What are the four Grand Slam tennis fitted with a retractable roof in 2009 ? tournaments? i. How many people work to ensure the e. When does the tournament take success of the event? place? j. How many ball boys and girls are there? f. When is the Ladies’ Singles Final k. Where are they recruited? Stuart Slavicky / Shutterstock.com Slavicky Stuart scheduled? l. Is beer allowed inside the Club? What does it take to become a Wimbledon ball boy/girl? The ball boys/girls are all year 9 and 10 students at secondary schools near Wimbledon. About 700 kids apply every year and this number is reduced to a team of 250. The tournament does not start till June, but ball boy/girl training begins early in February. They practice sprinting, catching and rolling the ball across the court and, of course, practicing to stand perfectly still when the game is on! 14 As the tournament nears, teams are selected for each of the courts. Four teams of six look after the Centre and No. 1 Courts, where the top players play. Six teams of six rotate around the other show courts and the remainder manage the rest of the courts. On match days, the usual routine is one hour on, one hour off to make sure the teams do not get tired out under the heat. Their job is to feed the balls to the players, make sure the balls are at the correct end and to change the balls when necessary too. They also make sure the towels are changed and supply drinks to the players and referees. To become a ball boy/girl you need to have good decision making skills, able to deal with the unexpected and to work as part of a team. “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster, and treat those two imposters just the same”. This is the inspirational quote from Rudyard Kipling’s poem If inscribed above the entrance to Wimbledon’s Centre Court, waiting to greet those who begin the battle for one of tennis’s most treasured trophies, and to remind players of what it is that makes a man. See also Literature Connections - page 186 Adapted from: http://www.funkidslive.com/ 2.B | Complete the sentences. a. The ball boys/girls are all............................ at secondary schools near Wimbledon. b. About 700 kids....................... every year. c. The ball boys/girls start............................ in February. d. They practice sprinting, catching and rolling the....................... across the court. e. Four teams of six............................... the Centre and No. 1 Courts. f. Their usual............................ is one hour on, one hour off. g. Their job is.............................. the balls to the players, change them when necessary, make sure the towels............................ and............................ drinks to the players and referees. h. To.............................. a ball boy/girl you need to be able to work as part of a team. 2.C | IMPROVE YOUR VOCABULARY – How much do you know about tennis? Tick only the words connected with it. a. A shot j. A court b. A goal k. A match c. A net l. A smash d. A bunker m.